The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-09-03

at home, adding that l would be down
in a moment, having just been called |
to the nursery!
This was all very well for five, for
ten, even for fifteen minutes; but at
last the conversation, which had been
getting more and more jerky and dis
connected, stopped altogether, and a
painful silence fell.
To add to the agony of my position,
a deadly fear was Selling hold of me
that Bently would come into the sur
gerry, and would, all unconsciously,
open the door of communication, and
send me flying as from catapult, wet
hair, red dressing-gown, towel and all,
into the startled midst of the Winter
bottoms.
1t was not till afterward that dis
covered that this fear, at least, was
groundless; the cupboard door shut
with a spring, and could only be open
ed from the outside.
By and by the distraught Elizabeth
spoke again.
lido not think the maid can have
told Mrs. Ellis you were here. If you
will excuse me, will go and see"
Then l heard her leave the room,
and Mrs. Jerry say to Mr.. Jerry:
"How very extraordinary! Do you
think any thing has happenedP Do
you think she has gone madP | have
heard from one or two people that she
is little queer.
l had to bite my tongue to prevent
myself from screaming out "WhoP"-
at the idea of people being so horrid
as to say was queer" just because 1
kept myself to myself, as our old nurse
used to say.
"Such conduct is more than queer,
tits impudent," answered her husband
in his most pompous tones; "But if
this rudeness is intentional l shall
know how to punish it. "
Then l heard hurried footsteps pass
ing to and fro overhead; they were evil
IDENTIFY seeking met was too terrible!
l dared not move or make a sound, and
l was so unhappy!
Presently Lizzie came back, and said,
in troubled voice:
81 am very sorry am afraid there
has been some mistake. The servant
misunderstood. Mrs Ellis is not at
home"
"Not at homeW echoed Mr.. Winter
bottom; "why, you told me she was
yourself"
81 know-but but she-she must
have gone out!'
"Gone outv' cried Mr.. Winterbot-
tom. Come, my dear, there is no
mistake about that, we won't intrude
any longer" Antfhe pair swept out
of the room.
Lizzie followed them, and she and
Nurse having come to the conclusion
that l must somehow have slipped out
of the house and perhaps gone to Mrs.
Dacres' went home, and l was left in
my dark corner sobbing with misery.
What would Bently sayP his best pa
tients mortally offended! | was too
unhappy to make any effort to attract
attention, but lay huddled up among
the old LaVcetS and Daily IeIegraphs
when the bell rang again, and this time
some one went into the consulting
room, saying: Every well, l will
wait"
l could hear this person fidetging
about, taking the books from the
shelves, and opening and shutting the
drawers in the escritoire.
was just thinking how inquisitive
it was, and how annoyed Bently would
be at such behavior, when the new.
conner walked into the surgery. There
was a wide crack in the wall, and
through it | could see the prying indi.
vidual was young Jerry Winterbottom
Was ever to be delivered from thai
family?
Thought he looked more than usually
clustered and odd, and he did not 81
ill, but pulled the bottles about just a.
he had done the books, and talked t.
himself in a rambling, incoherent way
then he began to dance softly up ant
down, first on one leg and then on thu
other, and to make the most horrible
grimaces.
There is something to me very fas
cinating in people who make faces, anC
I was watching him intently, and ever
initiating him a little, when sud
denly he caught sight of an instrument
: case on the table; his eyes lighted up
he bounced on it, opened it, and drew
out knife, sharp and awful looking.
He ran his finger up and down tn
, edge, laughing all the time. Then h
| went up to the looking-glass and un
: buttoned his collar-he was going t
cut his throat!
r Twas so scared that I could not artic
ulate, but flung myself against tn